INTRODUCTION 



WHICH CONTAINS THE PREFACE 



THAT hunting was never so popular as it is 

 just now is a fact which admits of no dispute. 

 Practically every inch of the country where 

 riding is possible is hunted by one or more packs of 

 hounds, and where the riding is bad, and there are no 

 coverts for foxes — or too much population, as in 

 Lancashire — there are harrier packs ; while where 

 there are neither foxhounds nor harriers, foot-beagles 

 will surely be found. Otter-hound packs, too, travel 

 all over the country during the summer months ; and 

 the crowds which are present at the August meets of the 

 Devon and Somerset staghounds must be seen to be 

 appreciated. 



On all sides, indeed, evidence to the effect that hunt- 

 ing is the most important of all English field sports is 

 afforded. The print shops, not only in London but 

 in every town in the kingdom, have their windows full 

 of hunting pictures ; and many of the ordinary com- 

 mercial advertisers of the day have brought similar 

 scenes into requisition for the purpose of advertising 

 their wares. At the Peterborough and Reigate hound 

 shows no stranger could help being astonished at the 

 crowd of men and women who come to worship at the 



